Fireflies
by Shelfkid91
Summary: There is only so much greif a man can handle. After several deaths, Kakashi finds his breaking point. My first oneshot, I hope you enjoy! Rated T for violence, blood and thematic veiws.


_Author's note: Yeah, so… I'm not really pleased right now, so this is what's coming out of this. _

_Fireflies_

There's only so much loss a man can handle in a life time. He can live through a suicide, a selfless act that left him alive while his best friend died. He can walk away from the only girl he ever loved disappearing and his sensei dying to save his very home. He can survive one of his students betraying his village and another one of his friends dying by the hands of the same people that are trying to kill another one of his students…

But eventually it all piles on and the man will break. It didn't happen in public. It didn't happen at the funeral with his student screaming beside him. It didn't happen when Tsunade told him he had to take a few weeks off to get his mind back in order. It didn't even happen when he found the same student sitting at the Memorial Stone, a vacant look about them and eyes glazed over.

It happened at his home. It came suddenly. Kakashi was reading his book with Pakkun sleeping in his lap. He wasn't even thinking about it… then the thought came. He remembered when his students were young and they dropped an eraser on his head, and then the tears came; slowly at first, but they grew until he couldn't breathe.

"Sensei?" a voice screamed. Kakashi lifted his head, disbelieving.

"N-" he started, but couldn't finish. Naruto wrapped his arms around the man.

"Hey… It's okay…" he whispered. Kakashi looked at the boy that was no longer a boy, but a man… 18 years old. Kakashi lifted his hand to touch his student's cheek.

"You… you're back…" he whispered. Naruto blink and turned away.

"Sensei, there's something I want to tell you…"

Kakashi lifted his hand. "I know about Sakura," he whispered. He embraced his student, but Naruto only sighed softly and patted Kakashi on the back.

Sakura was dead… Naruto had gone after Sasuke after bringing her body back. He hadn't returned from that mission… Until now… "We have to find Sasuke…" Kakashi muttered. Naruto broke away.

"Why…?" Naruto asked.

"He has to be stopped! He can't kill anyone else!"

"Sensei, don't!" Naruto growled as they stood up. "You'll ruin everything I've been working for! You can't just go kill him!"

"You still believe he can be saved, Naruto?" Kakashi asked, astonished. "There's no hope for him! He _killed_ Sakura and almost killed you!"

"About that…" Naruto started, but was cut off suddenly. Kakashi shoved by Naruto. "Sensei, stop!" Kakashi ignored him as he shoved his way past the boy and towards his room. He pulled on a black shirt over his undershirt and then his vest. His weapons were loaded and he was ready. "Sensei! I have something to tell you!" Naruto snapped, but Kakashi didn't seem interested in his student's call. Naruto rolled his eyes and chased after Kakashi.

As they walked swiftly through the village, Naruto continued to try to speak to the man. "Kakashi!" Iruka called. The man stopped and spun around. "Where are you going, Kakashi…?"

"I'm going after Sasuke!" Kakashi snapped.

"Kakashi… Tsunade-sama told you to stay in your house for a little while…" Kakashi looked over Iruka. It seemed the man had been crying.

"I don't care! Naruto's back and he's going to help me!"

Iruka started. "Naruto…?" He placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder. "Kakashi… There's something I have to tell you…"

"He's right here!" Kakashi screamed, pointing. Iruka blinked.

"No he's not…" Kakashi spun around. The boy was gone. Kakashi shook his head and fled. "Kakashi!" Iruka screamed, but he was quick to lose the man.

"You should listen to him more…" Naruto muttered. Kakashi halted hard and spun to look at Naruto.

"Where did you go? You're making me look like a raving lunatic!"

"They can't see me, Kakashi…" Naruto muttered.

"Why not?"

Naruto sighed. "Because I don't want them to… not yet, okay?"

"He's worried sick about you, Naruto!" Kakashi snapped.

"He's worried about you, Kakashi… We're all worried about you…" Naruto whispered gently. "Come on… Let's get you back home, Sensei…"

"No!" Kakashi snapped. "We have to go after Sasuke!"

"Look at yourself, Kakashi!" Naruto snapped back. "You aren't well, sensei. You would never go into this battle if you were thinking straight!"

Kakashi shook his head and pushed passed Naruto angrily.

* * *

"So… you've come, sensei…" Sasuke hissed. Kakashi was standing behind him, practically shaking with bitter anger. "I guess you heard. Sorry about that…"

"I know about Sakura, Sasuke!" Kakashi snapped. "I know what you did!"

Sasuke didn't turn. His body was relaxed and unconcerned about Kakashi being there. "Really, sensei? Did you know about Naruto?"

"Yeah! I know what you did to him!"

"Sensei…" Naruto cautioned. "We should leave…"

"Not now, Naruto," Kakashi hissed. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow.

"Sensei, I fear you are not doing well," Sasuke said as he finally turned around to glare at his teacher. Kakashi glared right back. He clenched his fists.

"You will pay for this, Sasuke. I've let you live long enough. I've let you kill too many people! I let my emotions get in the way of what must be done to protect my village and my remaining student!"

"Kakashi," Naruto snapped. "We need to _leave._" Kakashi ignored his student. His hand sparked blue as he lunged at Sasuke. Naruto watched helplessly. Kakashi was fighting blind, running around and missing his target. Sasuke danced a deadly step around Kakashi's attacks. The Hatake tried to keep up, but his tango was wild and angry; Sasuke's was calm and controlled. "Sasuke, stop!" Naruto screamed, forgetting himself. As expected, Sasuke didn't notice the blonde.

The fight was brutal. Naruto's eyes were wide and tearing up. Kakashi was getting destroyed. Naruto lunged and Sasuke's sword passed through his chest. "Naruto!" Kakashi screamed, standing shakily. The blonde boy looked down at the sword, passing harmlessly through his body.

"Sensei…?" Sasuke asking.

"Shut up!" Kakashi shouted. He too was staring at the orange clad ninja in front of him. No blood dripped from the sword. "Naruto…?" Kakashi asked.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi…" Naruto whispered. "I didn't want to tell you…"

"You're _dead?" _

Naruto nodded. "Yes…"

Kakashi stumbled back, gasping for air. He fell, dropping to his knees, his legs unable to hold himself up. It was then that he noticed the body. The blood had congealed around it, dried and brownish-red in color, spreading over the orange jacket. "How long…?" he whispered. Neither Naruto or Sasuke answered. "How_. Long?" _Kakashi screamed, his voice raising several octaves.

"Yesterday…" Naruto answered finally. Sasuke was standing dumbfounded as he stared at Kakashi. "When I first appeared to you… I was… trying to tell you, but-" The boy never got to finish. Kakashi let out an unearthly howl and lunged. Sasuke reacted quickly, but not fast enough. His eyes widened as Kakashi's sparking hand plunged through his chest. He took in a loud, gasping gulp of air just as Kakashi slammed his kunai through the child's throat. Blood poured out of Sasuke's mouth. "Sensssss-" His voice trailed to nothing as his eyes rolled back and he went slack around Kakashi's protruding arm.

With a hiss of disgust, Kakashi ripped his hand out of Sasuke's chest. The body fell away, leaving the grotesque and mutilated spirit in its place. Sasuke's eyes widened. "Naruto…?" he asked. His voice was raspy and sore. The blonde nodded slowly. "Can he… see me…?" Naruto shook his head. "Where do we go now?" Sasuke asked. Naruto pointed. A dark void awaited Sasuke.

"What is that…?"

"Judgment…" Naruto answered sadly. "But it's fair… Go…"

Sasuke looked at it again, then started walking. "You coming…?" Naruto shook his head and looked at Kakashi. "You would only hurt him by staying, idiot." Sasuke scoffed.

"He won't let me go, which means I have to stay…"

Sasuke shook his head. "Whatever, loser…" he muttered. He looked at his body, his blood, and sighed. He stepped into the dark void and disappeared…

_Several Weeks Later…_

The walls were white… Too white… The window was barred and the door was locked, only to be opened from the outside. It opened. "Kakashi…" Iruka whispered as he stepped in.

Kakashi lifted his head slowly. His one exposed eye was sunken in. They had taken his headband and replaced it with a bandage for the Sharingan eye. "How are you feeling, Kakashi?" Iruka asked. He placed a bowl of Miso on the table beside the bed. "The doctors say you should be getting out of here soon… Tsunade-sama will have you on missions within a month." Kakashi nodded slowly. Iruka sighed. "You'll be fine, Kakashi… Look, I have class to teach, but Tsunade-sama will be by later to check up on you." Iruka smiled at the man and patted him on the shoulder. "I'll see you…" and then he left.

Kakashi closed his eyes and put his head back on the pillow.

Unseen in a corner, where the sun from the window didn't reach, was an orange-clad ninja, slightly faded into the white walls. The boy closed his eyes as well and let out a silent sigh. Kakashi shifted as a cold zephyr brushed his cheek…

_Author's note: Alrighty! My very first one-shot! How do you like it? Some of you might not understand the name, since it really has nothing to do with the Owl City song. As I told my friend, there could be a darker meaning to that song meaning that good things in life, like Fireflies, or dreams, all must end, especially if we try to hold onto them._

_Naruto is Kakashi's Firefly, and if anyone has ever caught them, you will know that if you leave them in a jar too long, their light will eventually go out and they will die. Kakashi is trying to hold on to Naruto and is torturing him for it._

_That's where the name came from. Please review! No flames please. Constructive comments are always welcomed, however! Thanks for reading! The next Chapter of _Animal_ will be out shortly!_


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